Sportsbooks For NBA Finals

Ah, the NBA Finals. It’s a bittersweet time, albeit mostly sweet. You’re watching the latter stages of the quest for a title unfold, and yet, as much as you enjoy it, you lament the notion that the NBA season is officially coming to end. And that means it’s your last chance to get ahead of the sportsbooks before enjoying a (brief) sabbatical from professional basketball betting. If you’re a consistent basketball bettor, you’ll want to make the most of this opportunity, by throwing down as many bets, within reason of course, as possible. [+]

Before the Finals even tips off, decide whether you’re picking a series winner. The odds will usually be about even for each team, since they’re the best of the best.

But if for some reason there is a demonstartive favorite, as their could be so long as the Golden State Warriors are playing like they are, only bother with a series winner bet if you’re partial to the underdog.

Sure, you could roll with the favorite. But you’ll have to bet so much money on a team like the Warriors, or the San Antonio Spurs, just to win a modest, often neglible, stack of cash.

This is not to say you should be betting on the underdog all the time in this situation. Play the matchup; if you think a team is going to lose, don’t bet on it just because the favorite is favored by too much.

Once the series starts, marry the spreads, moneylines, overs and unders. Bet one of them per game. If you’re an expert, go with two or three.

In the event you’re feeling super explorative, or just plain confident in your knowledge, parlay two or three of those bets per game. Your returns will be markedly higher on any victories.

Best NBA Finals Sportsbook Odds

Keep track of the NBA Finals progression right here. This will help you stay on top of moneylines, spreads, overs and unders for individual games throughout. [+]

When placing single game bets, pay special attention to what’s happened in the Finals round thus far. If it’s the first game, look back at each team’s conference journey for some much needed insight.

The same holds true if you’re looking to crown a champion before the series tips off. See how these teams fared against one another during the regular season and also how they performed before the Finals.

Was their road to the Finals easy? Especially hard? Have they been dominant at home? Vulnerable on the road? Vice versa?

There is no such thing as asking too many questions in these instances. Because the more questions you ask, the more answers you’re forced to look for.

And the more answers you’re forced to look for, the more answers you’ll inevitably get, turning your NBA Finals betting, no matter the wager, into an enjoyable, and hopefully profitable, experience.

What Is The NBA Finals Matchup

This widget guarantees you’ll know the stakes and the standings, ensuring the basis for your research is up to date and, therefore, accurate.

NBA

#

team

P

W

L

+

-

%

EC - Atlantic Division

1

Boston Celtics

82

53

29

8857

8641

0.646

2

Toronto Raptors

82

51

31

8762

8417

0.622

3

New York Knicks

82

31

51

8556

8857

0.378

4

Philadelphia 76ers

82

28

54

8400

8867

0.341

5

Brooklyn Nets

82

20

62

8673

9225

0.244

EC - Central Division

1

Cleveland Cavaliers

82

51

31

9048

8787

0.622

2

Milwaukee Bucks

82

42

40

8497

8512

0.512

3

Indiana Pacers

82

42

40

8618

8636

0.512

4

Chicago Bulls

82

41

41

8435

8400

0.500

5

Detroit Pistons

82

37

45

8309

8401

0.451

EC - Southeast Division

1

Washington Wizards

82

49

33

8953

8805

0.598

2

Atlanta Hawks

82

43

39

8459

8529

0.524

3

Miami Heat

82

41

41

8460

8373

0.500

4

Charlotte Hornets

82

36

46

8601

8585

0.439

5

Orlando Magic

82

29

53

8288

8827

0.354

WC - Northwest Division

1

Utah Jazz

82

51

31

8258

7935

0.622

2

Oklahoma City Thunder

82

47

35

8741

8679

0.573

3

Portland Trailblazers

82

41

41

8851

8894

0.500

4

Denver Nuggets

82

40

42

9161

9119

0.488

5

Minnesota Timberwolves

82

31

51

8657

8748

0.378

WC - Pacific Division

1

Golden State Warriors

82

67

15

9503

8549

0.817

2

L.A. Clippers

82

51

31

8911

8559

0.622

3

Sacramento Kings

82

32

50

8430

8748

0.390

4

L.A. Lakers

82

26

56

8575

9139

0.317

5

Phoenix Suns

82

24

58

8831

9293

0.293

WC - Southwest Division

1

San Antonio Spurs

82

61

21

8637

8047

0.744

2

Houston Rockets

82

55

27

9458

8985

0.671

3

Memphis Grizzlies

82

43

39

8239

8199

0.524

4

New Orleans Pelicans

82

34

48

8556

8728

0.415

5

Dallas Mavericks

82

33

49

8029

8269

0.402

How To Make Money Betting On NBA Finals

Certain sportsbooks will let you pick an NBA Finals round winner even after the series starts. Not all, but some. When considering these wagers, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.

The first rule of thumb is to toss out betting on the favorites unless the odds are, for some reason, skewed in your favor. This rarely happens, but sometimes, if the initial underdog jumps out to the series lead, or if the series is just at 1-0, the overall odds won’t have shifted much from the pre-Finals lines.

Mostly, though, mid-series bets are for taking a flyer on the underdog.

Like all mid-series playoff bets, you’ll want to steer completely clear of picking the underdog when they’re trailing 3-0. We don’t endorse rolling the dice on a 3-1 hole either. No team has ever relinquished a 3-0 lead, and it’s just about the same story for squads that get out to 3-1 advantages.

Any other series deficits give you a chance to lay down some money on declining stock. It’s a risk, to be sure, and should only be done when you’re comfortable doing it. But if there is ever a time to take these chances it’s in the NBA Finals.

After all, you’re watching two of the best teams in the league. The gap between them is seldom enormous. Either one should have the potential to beat the other one. So when you see a team fall down 1-0, or 2-0, or 2-1, or 3-2, don’t hesitate to at least consider tossing a Finals future play their way.